The present invention relates to telecommunication networks, and in particular, to the problem of authorizing remote access points for use in telecommunication networks.
Remote networking allows the extension of a networking environment, such as a corporate networking environment, to remote locations. In operation, a remote access point at a remote location establishes a connection with its home (corporate) controller over a network such as the switched internet. In most cases this connection is an encrypted tunnel. The remote access point, connected through a home controller, extends the services available in the corporate environment through wireless and/or wired connections with the remote access point. This allows corporate users full access to systems and services in remote locations, such as remote offices or homes. It also allows corporate information technology groups to provide such access in a controlled and secure manner.
An issue with remote access points, and in particular to deploying remote access points to a large number of users and/or locations, is the time and labor required. Each remote access point must be properly set up, or provisioned. Typically this requires an information technology specialist in the organization to take a remote access point out of its packaging, install required configuration information such as the IP address of the corporate controller the remote access point is to contact, device credentials, and any updates necessary, repackage the remote access point, and have it sent to the user. This process does not scale. A method of provisioning remote access points is described, for example, in related patent application Ser. No. 12/477,774 filed Jun. 3, 2009, and incorporated herein by reference.
What is still needed is a method to authorize the remote access point and tie that remote access point to a valid user.